


River Crossing

by DerKnochenbrecher



Category: Stranger Mukou Hadan | Sword of the Stranger
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-03 00:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5269154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DerKnochenbrecher/pseuds/DerKnochenbrecher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based off a prompt from indigo-night-wisp on tumblr. She sent me the request "No-name has to carry Kotaro around for whatever reason and the little brat complains the whole time." I got a scene from Princess Monoke stuck in my head so this was what I apparently decided to go with.</p>
    </blockquote>





	River Crossing

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a prompt from indigo-night-wisp on tumblr. She sent me the request "No-name has to carry Kotaro around for whatever reason and the little brat complains the whole time." I got a scene from Princess Monoke stuck in my head so this was what I apparently decided to go with.

It was inevitable, really. Avoiding the major roads and taking thin paths through the mountains, so as to avoid an encounter with any of the troops that had amassed to take control of this country. Miserable piece of land that it was, the fishing was good and some land was better than none, at least in the eyes of the neighbouring lords At least they had waited for the end of winter to begin war, not that Nanashi and Kotarou’s head start had done them much good with how long had been spent healing. The point of it was that Nanashi and Kotarou found themselves unable to use roads like normal, and thus unable to use the bridges.

That was how they managed to find themselves in front of a river, not able to cross. At least it wasn’t a particularly wide or strong, or so deep that Nanashi would be unable to walk across it. He shrugged off his frayed haori and wrapped it around his sword. It was a cheap sword and not a very good replacement for the one that had broken, but it would do no good for it to start rusting. He started undoing his obi when he noticed Kotarou looking apprehensively at the river, his fingers buried in Tobimaru’s fur. At least the dog looked happy to have to go for a swim.

“Do we have to?” Kotarou asked. “Can’t we find a bridge or something?”

“There’s no bridges that aren’t being watched and tolled now,” Nanashi said. “This is the best way. You should take your clothes off. You’ll catch cold if you get them wet.”

Kotarou made a face. “Do I have to swim across?”

“You _can_ swim, right?”

Kotarou hesitated, then shook his head. For a kid who seemed pretty pleased with his ability to read and write, he sometimes seemed to lack basic life skills. Nanashi sighed.

“Can the dog?”

Tobimaru leapt at a flickering shape in the water, tail wagging.

“He’ll be fine,” Kotarou replied.

“Good, then I’ll only need to carry one of you.” He wrapped all his clothes into a bundle around his sword, and braced it against his shoulder. “The river isn’t so deep that it’ll be a problem.”

Kotarou removed his sandals, socks, and leg wraps, holding them to his chest as Nanashi picked him up. Nanashi wrapped an arm around his hips as Kotarou wrapped his legs around his chest, and his hands around his head.

“Don’t pull on my ears,” Nanashi said.

“I won’t,” Kotarou replied, speaking a bit too loud. He immediately grabbed Nanashi’s clothes as a handhold instead.

Nanashi adjusted his grip and took a step into the river. It was cold with the spring, but as he walked in it became more bearable. Tobimaru ran in after him, doggy paddling when the water was just above Nanashi’s knee.

“We shouldn’t have sold the horse,” Kotarou grumbled. “We could have ridden it and it would have been more comfortable.”

“You were the one who insisted on trading it for a sword,” Nanashi reminded him.

“That’s because we’re going to need a sword. But it looks like we’ll also need a horse, so we should steal one.”

“We’d have been better off keeping the horse and stealing the sword.” Nanashi bit his tongue as the water struck his chest, bitter against the bright pink scar along his left side. It was always the newest ones that hurt the most in the cold.

“You should have said that back then.” Kotarou tried to clamber higher as the water reached his legs, his toenails scratching Nanashi’s skin.

“Stop moving,” Nanashi said. Kotarou instantly stopped, making it only a little easier to keep moving. They were passed the worst of it now, though, and the river was only getting shallower. It was lucky that there hadn’t been any hidden depths there.

Kotarou remained as stiff as a board and about as easy to carry until Nanashi lowered him onto the riverbank. He set down his clothes, surprised at how much his arms hurt from holding them just for that long.

Tobimaru trotted up, tongue lolling out and coat dripping wet. Kotarou, too busy putting his socks back on, didn’t notice him coming up next to him. Nanashi did, though, and kicked his clothes out of the way before the dog shook himself out.

Kotarou, now covered in water, glared back at Tobimaru.

“Must you?” he asked.

“I feel like you deserved that,” Nanashi said, smiling slightly.

The dog gave a soft bark and butted his head into Kotarou’s hand. Kotarou was completely unable to stay mad at him, even if he was making his clothes smell like wet dog, and laughed.

“Let’s get going, then,” Nanashi said as he pulled his obi back on. He was dry, at least.

“Alright,” Kotarou replied and followed him, shivering slightly. Tobimaru trotted at his heals, smiling like he had done nothing wrong. What a good pup, Nanashi thought.


End file.
